More than 150,000 people gathered at the Aug. 19
rally of opposition supporters in central
Belgrade, where deep divisions between the two
largest opposition factions were confirmed.

The organizers of the rally, people gathered
around the Stability Pact for Serbia, called for
the resignations of Yugoslav President Slobodan
Milosevic, Serbian President Milan Milutinovic,
the Serbian and federal governments, and that
transitional governments be formed in Serbia and
Yugoslavia. Opposition parties agreed on this
demand a month ago.

Vuk Draskovic, the leader of the largest
parliamentary opposition party, the Serbian
Renewal Movement, put in an unexpected appearance
at the podium, although he was not on the
announced list of speakers, and in a long speech
called for the scheduling of early elections in
Serbia and peaceful changes, telling the
assembled people that transitional governments
cannot be formed in the streets. Draskovic's
speech was interrupted with whistling and shouts
"Vuk, go away!" Immediately after his speech,
Draskovic left the rally.

Before his appearance, the member of the group
of 17 independent economists, Mladjan Dinkic,
said that all those who negotiate with Milosevic
today will be tried by the people, while the
leader of the Democratic Party, Zoran Djindjic,
who also spoke before Draskovic, said that the
opposition gave the authorities a 15-day deadline
to give their answer to the demands for forming a
transitional government.

On behalf of the Serbian Orthodox Church, the
gathered people were addressed by the Bishop of
Hvostan, Atanasije. Among the speakers were the
coordinator of the Alliance for Change, Vladan
Batic, the chairman of the Democratic
Alternative, Nebojsa Covic, the chairman of the
Democratic Center, Dragoljub Micunovic, the
chairman of New Serbia, Velimir Ilic, and the
spokeswoman of New Democracy, Rebeka Srbinovic.

There were no major incidents, apart from one
tear-gas container thrown in front of the podium
by an unknown person.